Some kind of cooling system issue.

[Steve Tinker]

If the coolant vapour is doing that to the localised bolt heads, just think what its doing to the internals of the engine & cooling system.
I suspect the coolant has no corrosion inhibitor left, not a pleasant scenario.......

[Endat]

Perhaps I should elaborate.. I'm concerned about the state of the bleeder valve, and the fact that all of my 80's Porsches have had cadmium plated bolts.. did Porsche stop using corrosion resistant hardware to save money, or is this a generic replacement that has been put in?

Originally Posted by Gelbster

Suggest you read the Pelican info on refilling the coolant. It can be tricky. Look for the Pelican diy project on replacing the w/p.Pedro's Garage also has info.
There are plenty of examples of Boxster owners thinking they had filled with coolant but were actually very low.It may be a good time to replace all the coolant anyway. 5 years is the max recommended by some. It is a serious issue to attend to with lots of info and care. Easy to screw up unless you have this equipment:
Airlift

I have been planning on revamping the cooling system for some time now, so I have been through those articles (except Pedro, I cant stand the site layout). But I don't want to spend so much on coolant unless I'm sure the rest of the system is up to stuff. There is no way to buy this Airlift kit, is it something I rent from the auto parts store?

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

If the coolant vapour is doing that to the localised bolt heads, just think what its doing to the internals of the engine & cooling system.
I suspect the coolant has no corrosion inhibitor left, not a pleasant scenario.......

Distillation is the obvious cause of the condensation, it has been affecting these bolts for years through a faulty coolant cap.. the resulting "vapour" is essentially water. And my coolant was green, not brown.

Nice post count btw :dance:

[Gelbster]

If the bleeder valve is leaking(loosing pressure) it is easy to observe. Once the car is warmed up,it will hiss. If in doubt, temporarily plug the drain port (rearmost of the 3) and look for coolant accumulating after one(not 2!) drives. Then remove the plug.
Replace the old coolant fill cap anyway.
If you decide to replace the coolant reservoir, suggest you ask for guidance here. Cheap(leaky/defective) Chinese tanks on EBay and elsewhere.Need Mayhew cats-paw pliers for the hose clamps.
I hope this is helpful

[Endat]

Originally Posted by Gelbster

If the bleeder valve is leaking(loosing pressure) it is easy to observe. Once the car is warmed up,it will hiss. If in doubt, temporarily plug the drain port (rearmost of the 3) and look for coolant accumulating after one(not 2!) drives. Then remove the plug.
Replace the old coolant fill cap anyway.
If you decide to replace the coolant reservoir, suggest you ask for guidance here. Cheap(leaky/defective) Chinese tanks on EBay and elsewhere.Need Mayhew cats-paw pliers for the hose clamps.
I hope this is helpful

So far, so good.. keeping a jug in the trunk just in case